Aggreko.com uses cookies to ensure you get the best possible experience whilst visiting our website. By clicking or navigating the site, you agree to allow our collection of information on aggreko.com
Find out more

Aggreko renews contract with Glastonbury Festival

Written By

Daniel Betts
London

Published in

London

To support its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and pursuing more efficient ways of providing power, Aggreko, the world-leading provider of mobile modular power, temperature control and energy services, will introduce a number of emission-reducing power solutions at this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

Aggreko is proud to have been the exclusive power supplier for the festival since 2007, and this year there will be several locations at the festival powered by hybrid thermal-solar generators, combined with battery storage systems and our proprietary energy management software. This will ensure maximum efficiency and minimise the carbon impact and together, these innovative systems, will save over 200 metric tonnes of CO2 across the course of the festival, compared to the use of traditional diesel generators.

Uniquely, the festival’s Green Fields HQ will run entirely on solar power for the duration of the festival, which when combined with the battery storage systems, will provide a reliable power source during the hours of festival operation.

In addition, this year will see the use of cleaner, healthier fuel deployed in Aggreko generators – Green D+, a special blend of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), purchased by Glastonbury directly. HVO fuel which is made to an international specification, is derived from a mix of 100% used vegetable oils and waste fats*. All carbon is removed in the production process resulting in a biofuel of higher consistency, quality and purity than other biofuels.

Green D+ includes additives which produce a fuel that have several advantages over standard diesel:

Significant reduction in particulates;

Over 80% saving on greenhouse gases;

Zero sulphur emissions and;

Reduced noise pollution.

By switching to this fuel, which works in all Aggreko diesel generators without modification, Aggreko will achieve a C02 saving equivalent to the annual emissions of 45 family cars.

Bill Egan, a Principle Engineer at Aggreko Events Services who has a been working with Glastonbury Festival for over 25 years, said: “Powering a major event like Glastonbury presents a huge challenge. Providing 25MW of low-carbon power with the reliability to ensure that there are no disappointments for the festival-goers is no mean feat. Aggreko’s use of low carbon HVO fuel, combined with our innovative thermal, hybrid, storage and solar power solutions will ensure that everyone enjoys the festival without interruption, all the whilst supporting Glastonbury’s efforts to minimise its impact on the environment”.

The festival takes place from 26th – 30th June. It is the largest greenfield festival in the world, attended by around 175,000 people. The five-day festival near Pilton, Somerset, is regarded as a major event in British culture and raises millions of pounds for good causes.

* HVO differs from BioDiesel as its uses Hydrogenation and naturally occurring hydrogen as a catalyst, as opposed to alcohol in Biodiesel production, Green D+ is the HVO variant with additives to improve efficiency in use. It is sourced from 100% used cooking oil and various organic feedstock, which would otherwise go to waste and is categorised as preferable by the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive II. No virgin crops are used in the fuel.